The Engagement
by Joeysam
Summary: What happens when everything you've never wanted, was suddenly thrust upon you? Serena embarks on the road to selfdiscovery as she acquires a fiancee and finds love where and when she least expects it.
1. The Proposal Fiasco Revised

So maybe there are benefits of marriage but they just aren't coming to mind. When Terrence shoved that golden band into my face I thought he was attempting to poke my eye out. Must have been a lapse in judgment on my part- but oh well. It's not like something akin to this situation hasn't happened before.

...

...

Okay, so it hasn't.

Did you know that asparagus is the most awful color in the world? Yes, it even kicks Stucco's ass, in my opinion. Well, what do you think caused that to come to mind? And no ... I'm not trying to change the subject. Asparagus was caught in Terrence's teeth. Not only does he love veggies, the healthy objects of my loathing, he gets them stuck in his teeth.  
At night when I'm at his apartment, he's chomping away at some carrot impersonating a horse, or crunching celery. Yuck, I hate celery. Basically the only way I can eat it is with peanut butter. But now I really am getting off subject. He sleeps in silk teddy bear boxers and eats celery. My fiancée is a loser. I don't even want to talk about his late night battle cries when he's ready to "consummate" the pre-arranged Indian marriage.  
Enough said, right?  
Well... I know you're wondering why I even said yes, if all I do is slam him left and right. The reason is far more simple than you might think.  
I said no, he thought it meant yes, I had a rock the size of Greenland on my finger and to celebrate he uncorked another battle cry that night, while I uncorked the Champaign bottle, for me only mind you.  
The next morning, I woke from what I assumed a terrible nightmare with a splitting headache and Terrence's chattering on the phone conference style to a good portion of his entire family (extended family included). I attempted to go back to sleep, pulling the cream comforter over my head and effectively shutting out the blinding sun, and eventually Terrence's voice as I slipped back into unconsciousness.  
When I finally woke up two hours later, Terrence was no where in sight and my cell phone was laying on my pillow next to my head, beeping unpleasantly with several missed calls and a lengthy amount of voicemails. A note attached to the antenna informed me that Terrence had skipped off to work after an important call had come in and he was forced from my slumbering form. In gratitude to whichever deity granted me the extra bed space I stretched out and luxuriated in the feel of solitude. Shuffling through the missed calls list, I found that my mother, boss, uncle, and my friends Mina, Lita, Rei, and also Amy had called. Normally I wasn't such a popular woman at such an early time, but I supposed there were always exceptions, like when my cousin Kira had run away and everyone was out looking for her.

The first call was of course to my mother, whose message was more threatening than a navy seal's hard muscular frame after two years of Japanese water torture and no conjugal visits.  
"SERENA EVANGALINE ELIZABETH CHRISTAINSEN, you have some EXPLAINING TO DO" I winced as the phone was a mere 12 inches from my ear at the time she decided to pop a lung and my ear drum. As you can already tell, the conversation did not progress easily nor quietly. Good thing God made pillows. I stuffed the phone underneath the beautiful feather pillow and proceeded to wait approximately five minutes until I felt the coast was clear.  
"Mom?" There was a loud banging on the phone and I could only guess she was venting her frustrations on a poor defenseless batch of cookies or pie dough. "….Mom?" I tried again.  
"I'm here dear." was the exasperated reply and I felt for sure she was going to launch into an 'I'm so disappointed in you, how could you not tell me, I'm your mother' speech.  
"I just wanted you to be the first person I told. Terrence proposed last night."  
The racket stopped and I heard her sigh. Was she okay, I wondered. She was not babbling incoherently as I expected she would.  
"I know. He called this morning because he couldn't wait to deliver the news."  
Was it just me or did my mom seem hesitant to offer congratulations? This really did surprise me. She had for a time, seemed like Terrence's biggest fan.  
"Well, I wanted to know how you felt about this situation." Two nights ago I would have guessed she'd started wedding plans, my cake, dress, and catering all selected and on hold. Now, from her tone, I wasn't so sure she wouldn't make an effort to talk me out of it.  
"If this is what you want dear, then I'm happy for you. Terrence is a good man. I've gotten the impression he'll bend over backwards to make you happy."  
Ah. There it was.  
"Oh. Okay, Mom. I have to go call the girls back. I'll see you Sunday at church." I managed to mutter and clicked the disconnect button to end the call.  
The calls to the girls went much more smooth and I hung up thirty minutes later drained. Lita had been hooting and carrying on about an engagement party. Rei suspected I was pregnant and demanded to know when I was due, after which I assured her that I was not pregnant and I had no intentions of becoming pregnant in the near future. What is it about pregnant women? They act as if everyone wants to join their club immediately after their own discovery. Jealous of her extra twenty pounds and slow waddle, I think not.  
Amy was on call and couldn't reach her phone so I was spared the lecture on responsibility and the advantages of holy matrimony, though I dreaded the last call, saving Mina for last.  
She'd always harbored suspicions that I was madly in love with someone else and had been carrying on this explicit love affair behind Terrence's back. I assure you, dear readers, that I had never cheated on a boyfriend, date, or fiancée. Well, until two months after the proposal that is.  
It could only get more interesting than this.

So at Mina's Valentine's Day party when I was mingling with people I hadn't had a chance to speak to in several weeks, something happened.  
I mingled, schmoozing and boozing with old friends from college, new friends from work and various other acquaintances. I easily swept through the room, making obligatory rounds as Mina introduced me as the Future Mrs. Terrence Jackson and flashed my ring that I fought to keep hidden. I quickly darted away from Mina when I caught an opening in the crowded living room and headed toward the kitchen to freshen my drink. All this smiling and small talk was grating on my nerves and I was desperate to escape. I never understood why Mina was such a socialite and I had ended up the exact opposite. I pondered our early years of friendship as I made my way through the kitchen doors and my heels made a slight screeching sound as I came to a sudden halt.  
"Hello, Serena." The smooth voice that had haunted my dreams hit me full force and I could not decide whether to turn around and make a run for it or to act like the stereotypical blonde and feign ignorance.  
Apparently, my choice had been made for me.  
Damn Mina!!!!  
Perhaps it was the alcohol, or maybe just the overwhelming urge for sensual sexual contact, but I wound up in someone else's house. And then, there was the biggest wrong of all. Not only did I not love my fiancée, and his ring is stuck in the random guy's shower drain, but the shower drain belonged to Darien Brookens. Alright, so he's really not so random. And it doesn't stop there. Oh, of course it doesn't! Like anything good would happen to me even once. He was my summer fling after graduation. Yes, that was over four years ago, but fate always seems to bite me in the ass.  
As I rinsed my skin off his heady cologne I remembered my early days in the big city. I'd just started to make it on my own and Darien had been so easy to fall in love with, too easy. We'd met at a little coffee shop, having received each other's coffee by mistake. Coincidence, romance was not in my hand the dealer had dealt me.  
There was a rapping on the door as I shut off the water and made a mad grab for the pretty glittery ring that Terrence had bought me.  
"Serena, are you alright in there?" Darien's delicious voice sent chills up my spine but I had no time for such things as my fingers were wedged down the drain.  
"I'm fine. I just...ahh..I ahh just dropped my ring down the shower drain and I'm trying to.." the bathroom door opened and I sprang for a towel.  
"I'll get it for you." Darien strode in, with a pair of black boxers exposed from his low slung black sweatpants.  
Not only had I committed something akin to adultery, I was looking at the muscled torso of my ex-fling who was making quick work of retrieving my engagement ring to another man.  
"Got it. How'd you manage this rock?" He whistled and held it out for me.  
"It was a gift with intention of something in return."  
"This guy must really love you." My gaze jerked from the ring in his open palm to his dark eyes.  
"I think he does." I reached for the ring and slipped it onto my finger. The large diamond winked in the bright morning light.  
"Too bad you don't return it." His arms drew me to his chest and I had to lean my head back to look up at his face.  
"I don't know what to do." I whispered, as his lips hovered above mine. Already I was fighting to suppress the urge to allow him to take me under as he'd done the night before. Is it illegal to cheat on your fiancée? How many years is the sentence, because double jeopardy is probably going to save my ass.  
"If you let things go, they'll fall into place." his husky whisper was feathered against my neck as he lips nudged and his tongue licked at already tingling flesh.  
"When," I gasped out "will it fall together?"  
"I can't answer that for you, Serena." His arms tightened around me and I started to panic. This was quickly escalating into something I was entirely sure I wanted right now, but was also one hundred percent positive I should not be doing.  
"Darien, we shouldn't -"  
"I want to. Serena, you're here now, and I'm not letting you walk out of my life like you did before." His cobalt eyes gazed unflinchingly into mine and I couldn't help the emotions that fluctuated. "Serena, why can't you just admit that you don't love him and that you never did? Terrence isn't the right one." Anger flooded my face with a flush and I pulled away from his grasp. "I'm sorry." the second I was out of his arms he lunged for me again, his apologetic gaze pleading me to forgive his outburst.  
"It's not like I planned for my life to play out like this, Darien. I didn't want to get married to a guy I don't love or have a crappy job." my hands clutched at his muscular arms. I needed something to which I could cling as cheesy as that may seem. Damn, it sounded like I've been reading way too many romance novels, eh?  
"But Serena, you can change all that." he held me firmly by my elbows.  
"For some of us, it's not that simple!" I bit back, resentment building. I didn't have all the resources Mr. Moneybags had.  
"Serena, what is it that you want?" I felt my arms go slack and I could only look up at him for a moment before I dropped my eyes to the space between us. No one had ever asked me what I really wanted before. As I stared into his dark blue eyes, I searched for something to tell me that this was a joke. But I realized it wasn't when the deep cobalt orbs penetrated my paper-thin defenses.  
"I don't know." The answer was so plain-jane of me. The typical confused twenty something gal who could not get her act together when the world was leaving her behind, stood there; I stood there, naked underneath the soft black towel, water dripping from my hair onto my shoulders and a modern day Adonis holding onto me.  
"I think I can assist you in finding out," he practically purred as he pushed me against the cool tile of the shower wall, hand tangling into my hair and forcing my head back, exposing my neck.  
I can't really explain what happened, because in truth, I've never had someone kiss me the way he did.

It's pure seduction, pure evil is what it is!

The flesh, the movements, all of him powerful, and gloriously strong. My hands roamed over the muscles of his shoulders, down his back, fingers pulling to find ground, nails tearing at the smooth flesh.  
My towel joined his clothes on the bathroom floor, the shower door closing behind our tangled bodies. And then the shower sprang to life, our sweat mixing with soap and the hot steam clouding the bathroom, creating a nebulous atmosphere.  
"You can't deny that you like this," he whispered into my ear, his breath feathering against my skin and making me respond instantly. "We're good together, Serena."  
I let him take me. I let the sound of the water beating against us and the wall fill my ears and the smell of his scented soap overwhelm my nostrils.  
A little over half an hour later we stepped out of the shower. His clothes still laid with my towel in a pile on the floor. My glistened on the sink counter and I hesitated to pick it up even when I knew I needed to leave and return to reality.  
I quietly dressed in the clothes I had worn the night before, feeling his eyes upon me with every motion. He pulled on a pair of shorts and a tshirt that were already laying on a nearby chair.  
He followed silently as I exited his room, making my way down the hallway.  
Halfway down the hallway, so close to the exit I could see the shining light around the front door of his house, he held me against the wall, putting his leg between mine and trapping my arms above my head with his large but gentle hands.  
"Darien, I-"  
"Shh..."  
In true weaker, female fashion, I was turned into mush in his arms, his lips sucking the resistance from my body as they roamed over my exposed skin. Several times my thoughts had resurfaced to the top of my mind, flashes of Terrence and the upcoming engagement party spilling into my mental vision. Yet all the same, they slipped out just as quickly as they came, until my body completely took over and let the passion become an inferno inside me.  
Struggling to break his overpowering hold, he seemed to only press me further into the wall. I could feel the heat of his body through my clothing, a simple red silk dress and the even thinner slip underneath, and suddenly my body registered cold. He'd drawn back, putting several inches between us. Confused and slightly disappointed, I gazed into his dark eyes.  
"Darien, we should-" I was caught off abruptly.  
And then he kissed me again. It wasn't the simple peck on the lips, nor the briefest of touches. No, it was so much more. It was like hot lava, liquid heat, and scorching madness. The kind of kiss you have after a night of sweaty dancing and too many drinks. It was the kind of kiss that clears your mind and burns through your body, heating your blood to an almost unimaginable temperature.  
I didn't get passed the hallway, and an hour later found me lying beneath the tangled sheets of his bed, hair in disarray and quite exhausted. He grinned from underneath me, his devilish look bringing an unhealthy flush to my face. At least, that's what I kept telling myself. He assured me that he is just checking if my heart is working properly.  
Beneath the sheets, limbs tangled, we spent the better part of the day.  
The next day I was seated in a patio chair at a friend's house. Not my friend, but rather Terrence's, and Terrence happened to be sitting rather too close on such a warm sunny day. My large sunhat and big dark sunglasses were only aiding in keeping the scorching sun off my face, but my shoulders were quickly protesting their relationship with the sun by turning a menacing pink. Desperate to escape, I tried feigning a headache, which only scored me more attention from Terrence, the ever doting fiancée. My body was crying out for a fresh breeze, a gust of wind, anything to save me from the rest of the evening.  
My palm pilot started beeping madly and I excused myself before retrieving the device from my smart summer clutch and walking a good distance away from the lunch party.  
It was a number I didn't recognize, but colleagues were always changing their numbers and such so I didn't hesitate to answer it. If I had known it was Darien's number, I wouldn't have picked it up.  
"Hello, Serena Christainsen speaking."  
"You left without saying goodbye." The low rumble of his unique and incredibly sexy voice made my knees weak. I faltered in my step and paused to regain my balance.  
"How'd you get this number?" I glanced back at Terrence to make sure he hadn't noticed my stumble. He smiled and waved at me, oblivious to my racing heart and current caller.  
"Hi, how are you? I'm fine, thanks for asking." The sarcasm was clearly detectable and I smirked at his attitude. He always did keep things interesting.  
"Funny. But how did you get this number?" I continued to walk and wasn't satisfied with the distance from Terrence until I was safely around the side of the house.  
"Mina gave it to me, when I told her that your old number didn't work and I couldn't reach you."  
That about put me into hysterics and I clutched my chest where my heart was beating rapidly. I felt ready to cry.  
"You talked to Mina!" It was a statement, a hysterical statement but a statement nonetheless. My voice was reaching decibels only dogs could hear.  
"Calm down. She didn't see us leave together at her party. I told her I wanted to catch up with you because we didn't have a chance last night. She doesn't suspect anything, and in fact, reminded me that you were engaged…happily engaged." The last part came out odd and my free hand fluttered to my forehead where a headache was forming.  
"What do you want?" I moaned helplessly, wishing I'd never downed three flutes of Champagne and flashed him my famous 'come hither' eyes as I left the party.  
"I want to see you."  
"No." I almost said yes. Oh my dear lord, I really had wanted to say yes. Why did I want to do that? My mind raced and I struggled to maintain coherency. He was not going to let me off easy.  
"Yes. I'll be at that little café we used to go to at eight tonight. I'll meet you there. Don't bother refusing; I know you'll be there." And the line went dead.  
I firmly pressed my lips together, wanting to scream with frustration and curse the fates and every kind of alcohol. After safely tucking the little device from hell back into my clutch I strolled back to the group. Terrence smiled and held out his hand. I smiled back and slipped mine into his as I settled back into my seat. He placed a tiny kiss on it before trapping it between his own and rubbing gently. Sure, now he decides to be the attentive, loving fiancée. Thankfully, my rolling eyes were hidden behind the dark glasses.  
We continued to chat with his two friends until the sun dipped lazily behind the tree line. I was bored senseless. It appeared Terrence's friends were just as boring as he was, and I thought one of him was more than enough. After my sixth glass of wine I was well on my way of being entertained and didn't have to force my laughter at their corny jokes. Soon after seven Terrence announced that we had to get going. I sincerely dreaded leaving, thinking of the confrontation with Darien that lay ahead of me. Terrence had decided to drive this afternoon so we rode in silence down the winding roads in the country. Thankfully, his sleek black Lexus was comfortable and rode easy. I reclined in my seat and closed my eyes as he navigated the way to our beautiful brownstone.  
Neither of us were financially unstable, and I briefly remembered the apartment on 5th avenue I gave up for the one we currently shared. Sure, I was an investment banker and he was a rich, dashing COO of a booming software company, so we had a little bit of money to kick around. I wouldn't exactly call him dashing, but he was pretty easy on the eyes. Darien, however, was a whole other ballgame. He was old money, traditional, had gone to Harvard and all the while maintained that heartthrob, all-American image that made me act like a young pre-teen in his presence. Those dark penetrating eyes, dark hair and amazing body that screamed to be released from his Armani Exchange suits caused chills to run down my spine.  
Why was I thinking about him right now? I shook my head to clear my thoughts of him and my action earned a quizzical look from Terrence.  
"Is there something wrong, Serena? You were quiet all afternoon."  
"What? Oh, I'm fine. Sorry, I've just been feeling a bit under the weather." I hoped he'd buy my excuse. He bought my story yesterday afternoon when I clumsily stumbled through our front door and babbled some half-assed line about having stayed at Mina's because I was too drunk to make it home. He frowned disapprovingly before pulling me into a hug and kissing the top of my forehead. I'd never felt that sleazy before. I'd just come home from a sex marathon with an old fling and my fiancée helped my weakened form into our bathroom to run me a bubble bath.  
"Are you sure you're alright? You've been acting differently since you got home yesterday. Do you think you're coming down with something?" He glanced away from the road to look at my face, but I hid behind my sunglasses like a coward.  
"I'm okay, Terrence, really. I'm just in need of a little pick-me-up. I think I'll call Mina and see if she wants to meet at the café for a quick coffee."  
"Okay, but only if you're sure you're feeling well. I don't want you to get sick, sweetheart." He gave up the fight and I was silently disheartened. He never wanted to argue, never pushed buttons when it came to me. I guess I sometimes wished he would.  
The rest of the ride was in silence and when he parked in front of our place I didn't wait for him to walk around and open my door. Instead, I hopped out and raced up the steps, intent on taking a quick shower and changing out of the horrible sundress and crazy summer heels. I left Terrence in my dust as I stormed through the place, tossing articles of clothing and the fancy footwear aside in my haste.  
The minute I stepped out of the shower I felt dirty. I was leaving my fiancée tonight to see the man I had a fling with, a man I slept with a couple times, developed feelings for, ran away from and was basically being drawn back to all over again. As I dried my hair and slipped into a simple pair of boot cut jeans and a cashmere sweater I thought about the past. It was not enough that I felt unhinged when I was in Darien's presence. I had made the right choice when I left him, but going back also felt like the right thing to do.  
The sweater, cream and soft, pulled out the natural diamond highlights I hated as a child. I told myself over and over as I walked down the sidewalk to the little café of sin that I wasn't dressed for trouble.  
The sensible brown leather boots seemed weighted down by lead as I got closer and closer to the café. As I finally neared the corner I couldn't help but glance back at the way I had come. I only had a brief moment to ponder a quick retreat and then I was jerked off my feet. My cry of panic was smothered by two very warm, seductive lips and I immediately tensed and my brain kicked into overdrive. Using every ounce of strength I possessed I pulled away and put my hands against my attacker's chest.  
"Hello stranger." He mumbled as his lips trailed down my exposed neck. I tried to pull away again, and every fiber in my being screamed at me for leaving his embrace.  
"I can't…" It was a far cry from the forceful voice I intended to have and instead it came out as a whisper. All my feminist training that should have made me roar with rage and anguish and scream at the top of my lungs came out in a little, teeny, tiny, pansy-ass whisper. My newfound Florence Nightingale attitude was pathetic. I had a look that could make grown, balding stock brokers practically piss their pants when they saw it, and yet his cologne sent the synapses of my brain into malfunction. My suburban housewife of a mother raised me with an iron hand to take no prisoners and have dinner on the table by 5:30pm and here I was quickly being reduced to a softer version of putty in this man's grip. I wouldn't even call it an embrace anymore. One hand was tightly fisted in my loose hair the other securing my body to his as he lent his forehead against mine. I was the helpless damsel in distress, held captive in the clutches of a mad man.  
"My place is just a few blocks from here." His voice was reduced to a tender whisper and I felt my defenses start to crumble. Distress, should have used the term lightly. I ached for his lips to touch my skin again, but I knew there had to be some words before I just surrendered again. – Not that I intended to 'surrender' anything even if we did have a real conversation.  
I chanced a direct look into his eyes and found they were focused entirely on my own. I bit my lip and took in the scenery around us. No one was staring and I could not recognize a single face in the area.  
He took my broken eye contact as a sign of surrender and swung an arm around my shoulders before pulling me into the café. I stumbled a bit under the weight of his muscular arm but was able to recover quickly. I was never man-handled. We grabbed two coffees to go and a few bagels before he again led me outside. On the walk back to his house we carried on a casual conversation. We didn't mention our last encounter or the today's events, but only the events preceding Mina's party.  
I'd been a starry-eyed college graduate the first time I met him the little café. In fact, that tiny little café had been our meeting place after a long, hot, day at work. Well, work for me and play for him. His money generally worked for him and I worked for a small amount of money that seemed to be enough to keep food in my fridge and the landlord from knocking on my door for rent. He'd been the greatest catch in my inexperienced dating career and I knew that he'd have left me eventually. It seemed to be inevitable in every relationship I had ever had. So, after a very short, very hot summer, I changed my address, my phone number and my hair style. I had been offered a job at an exclusive banking firm and couldn't say no. I left Darien behind and wrote him off as just another fling. I never expected Mina to invite him to the party just as I had never expected to run into him in a million years.  
We talked of the past few years, not mentioning relationships or anything deemed too personal. We kept the conversation light even as we walked up the stairs to his house and removed our shoes at the door. My coffee was gone and his was in the remnant stage. We paused just inside the door, shoeless and unable to say anything. A seven block walk of talking but not really saying anything left us in a deafening silence.  
Darien exhaled louder than usual and tossed the bag concealing the bagels onto the coffee table befor taking my empty cup and heading in the direction I assumed was the kitchen. I padded to the couch and allowed myself to collapse and sink into the plush cushioning. I didn't hear him approach but the feel of his hand on my face startled me and I opened my eyes, angling my body to get a better look. He was crouched down on his knees, lips fixed into a small smile. I couldn't help but smile back.  
"Move over." He rose to his full height before attempting to settle behind me on the couch. After finally achieving his goal, he reached over my prone form and grabbed the remote. It all felt so normal, which is what was so weird about the whole situation. I was laying on the couch with an ex-boyfriend who I left without any answers nor explanations and he was nonchalantly pretending like we were a couple, snuggling on the couch on a late Sunday evening after having a nice evening coffee. I had avoided that coffee shop for so long, it felt like a betrayal to have consumed its delicious caffeinated goodness after abstaining for so long.  
When his nimble fingers pulled back the hair protectively covering my neck and those devilish lips began their onslaught on my oversensitive skin I was simply lost.  
"Darien…" I turned on the couch, pushing myself into him and effectively putting a kink in his battle plan.  
"How can I seduce you if you're fighting me every step?"  
I used whatever strength I had in me to meet his eyes.  
"Why are you doing this?" My hands had a mind of their own as they traveled up his lean torso, tortuously covered by a dark mossy green sweater and customary white t-shirt he always wore under every outfit excluding his Armani suits. My fingers itched to brush and caress his perfect skin. Up they traveled, with their own agenda, pulling the sweater that brought out the darkness of his hair and the sharp cobalt in his eyes up his body and eventually over his head.  
"I thought it was obvious," he replied softly, never losing eye contact as he divested me of my sweater and began to make quick work of my jeans. I moved and covered his hands with my own, effectively stopping him from finishing the buttons on my jeans.  
"It's not." I shifted even more, pulling his willing form underneath mine and praying he wouldn't do something ridiculous like roll us onto the floor. His hands found their way into my hair instead of my pants and I almost regretted the move. There was no mistake I wanted him, I wanted him from the moment he practically assaulted me on the sidewalk. I just was not sure why I wanted him.  
"Let's have it." He was ready, I could tell. He was waiting for the real issue to be discussed, like a dehydrated man being offered water; careful not to take too much but wanting to gorge himself all the same.  
"Why?"  
"Why not?" His deflective comment only proved to piss me off and he instantly knew it was the wrong thing to say. His expression turned apologetic and then instantly serious. "You really want to know?"  
"No." I paused and looked around the apartment before returning my gaze to his. "I need to know."  
A slow smile came to his lips and he made an effort to sit up. I obliged by sliding further down his body and slowly sitting up, making sure I was on the opposite end of the couch.  
He looked at me for a moment, as if weighing his options. Would he use one of those easy lines that made me giddy and gullible? I began to grow impatient with every second of silence that passed between us.

There you go- the end of Chapter 1. Yes, I revised it again- so much of it is the same- with a few minor changes from the original and the second draft. I'm becoming a bit of a perfectionist and Serena's thoughts are progressing the way I want them to, finally. As I started working on Chapter 2 again- I realized Darien's character seemed shallow, after her without motive. Now I've added a bit more information that seemed clear to me (the writer) and more than likely - unclear to you (the reader).

You know the drill- read, review, and .... read some more!


	2. Britney Spears: Oops I did it again

The Engagement

Chapter 2 – Britney Spears: Oops I did it again

* * *

He looked at me for a moment, as if weighing his options. Would he use one of those easy lines that made me giddy and gullible? I began to grow impatient with every second of silence that passed between us.  
I could feel the tightness begin to increase in my stomach and for a moment I felt as though I were about to toss that delicious cup of coffee and delectable bagel right into his lap projectile-vomit-style. It was mere moments before I was able to relax because he cocked his head to the side and raised a dark eyebrow at me. Damn him. Why'd he have to look so magnificently rugged and manly in nothing but those jeans? Why did his endless, cobalt blue eyes seem to capture my gaze so effortlessly and hold me hostage? That is correct, hostage. I was trapped as my heartbeat skyrocketed to dangerous palpitations that I was sure my poor heart was not in any shape to withstand.  
During my inner, and quite dramatic monologue, I missed his patent 'lean in and catch her when she's zoned out' move. The next thing I knew, his rough hands were gently pulling my face towards his as he stared none-too-subtly into my eyes.  
Needless to say, but I will anyway, I was caught completely off-guard when he uttered the single phrase I didn't realize I'd been waiting to hear for such a long time.  
"Run away with me?"  
The way he said it made him seem so vulnerable, as if I could possibly hurt his feelings and maybe even smash his hopes and dreams with one blonde moment and a stupid, garbled answer.  
My inner-devil chuckled a little before recognizing the seriousness of the situation and 'poof-ing' out of the picture.  
Instead of laughing at the situation and his expression, I did the only thing I could do; I played it like I was an 84-year old woman who was hard of hearing, aka my grandma.  
"What?" There seemed to be no stopping the stupidity streak I was currently substituting for my A game.  
"Don't play stupid, Serena. I said run away with me. I have to go to France for two weeks, and I want you to take off with me. It wouldn't be that hard- just take some vacation time or have your boss contact you via email. I just-" I had to stop him there. He was beginning to ramble and it could only get more embarrassing for the both of us if he were to continue.  
"Hold on, Dare. That's crazy. I can't just rush off to the other half of the world because you have to go on a business trip." Was I getting hysterical? My vocal chords were starting to get a little sore. I hoped I wasn't hitting notes only dogs could hear again.  
"You'll love it. We'll get to roam the cities and enjoy the nightlife. I think it'd be a good thing for us to both get away."  
"But I don't think-" Eeek, his hand seemed to slide so effortlessly over my parted lips that I felt like a small child being shushed by her heavy-handed and slightly perverted uncle.  
Then again, I am not used to being man-handled and ordered around.  
But I cannot deny that it seems to be something I could definitely get used to if I got to stare at this hunk all day.  
"Good. Don't think, just go home and pack. We'll leave tomorrow afternoon." Oh those tantalizing lips hovered over mine just outside of reach and I wanted to stamp my foot in frustration.  
"How am I supposed to justify going to Paris, with you, to-" I had to stop there. The little trance he'd pulled me into seemed to shatter into a million pieces of confetti without the merriment and I was back in reality, still on the couch and very much engaged.  
He noticed it immediately. It wasn't as if I were a master at hiding my emotions.  
"Just say you're going over to meet an account personally." His line was smooth and his hands were no longer gentle. They clamped onto each arm and held on, as if he knew I was contemplating bolting. The idea was intriguing and I silently calculated the strength and speed it would take to escape into the hallway or down the fire escape. A slight shake rattled me from my thoughts and I refocused onto Darien. I did not understand how it could be possible for me to get so caught up in the feelings he evoked. I was usually direct, level-headed and calm. He turned me into a catholic school girl who'd just had sex and was scared to death it was written on her forehead, better yet, written on a post-it that was somehow secured to the back of her cardigan without her knowledge until the next day when she opened her locker.  
"Terrence is not an idiot." I couldn't help but shoot back, getting angry at the implication that I'd become engaged to a Neanderthal. The firm grip that had hold of my upper arms tightened and he jerked me toward him so that my legs slid down the leather couch and my feet dangled helplessly.  
"Terrence should be history. It's your friends I'd be more worried about, if I were you." The anger that reflected in his eyes momentarily frightened me. I'd never seen him angry, frustrated, or even the slightest inconvenienced. It took a split-second for that anger to fade and he loosened his nearly painful grip. I was lowered to his chest, arms coming around me to encircle my upper torso and hold me gently there. I turned my head to the side and rested it upon his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and breathing. "I'm sorry." He said after a few minutes of silence had passed between us. I slowly wound my arms up around his shoulders and let one hand dip into his dark, silky hair. The physical need was about to takeover for the emotional and I struggled against the need to feel complete and the urge to flee. It wasn't everyday you had someone ready to fight for you, nor offer to whisk you off to some foreign country on a vacation that promised romance and seduction.  
I wanted that romance, my heart screamed for it, but my mind was tugging against that nonsensical dream and I knew I had to make a decision fast. Even though everything in me wanted to tell Terrence to kiss off, I knew it was not the right choice. I needed to be diplomatic, weighing the options and their outcomes more seriously than I would the type of lipstick to wear to a business dinner, though that decision itself can sometimes take more than a few hours.  
"Serena?" The again gentle hands wove their way through my hair and I closed my eyes, content for the moment to lean into his embrace and feel comforted. There was no way he could understand how hard this decision was. He didn't have anyone else's feelings to consider other than his own. My choice would have a direct effect on my engagement, my job, and my relationship with my friends.  
My friends, how could I have forgotten? Raye and Amy were rooting for Terrence, campaigning and singing his praises for the months that we dated and even after we moved in together. Mina and Lita retained far more reserved positions concerning my relationship with Terrence. Mina had given me a knowing look the night of the Valentine's Day party and Lita had been schmoozing up to me with martini after martini, practically parading every single man in front of me. Now that I think about it, they were far more concerned with me ending my relationship with Terrence than even I. There was no mistaking the coincidence. Lita and Mina had deliberately invited Darien to the party to distract me. I'd never felt so manipulated. Darien must have noticed the change, his grip tightening once again as I moved to distance myself.  
"Don't." was his request, though it resembled an order the way it sounded from his lips.  
"I have to think about this, Darien. It's not an easy decision. I'm putting my friends, family, my engagement and my future on the line here." I'm sure I was being a little melodramatic, but that didn't make the decision any easier. My engagement to Terrence was on the chopping block, whether he knew it or not. But the truth was, Darien really had nothing to do with it. In the very beginning I'd been leery of starting a relationship with Terrence, of moving in, or even accepting his proposal (not that I officially said yes, mind you).  
Darien's presence and characteristic effect of turning my willpower into jell-o served to only add another nail of doubt in the coffin that was my relationship with Terrence.  
"Why isn't it easy? He doesn't deserve you, Serena. You don't even love him."  
To say I got a little upset would be an understatement. That last comment instigated a snowball effect and it took only seconds for my anger to lash out. How could he know of my affection? He didn't earn my love, he hadn't put a ring on my finger and promised to love, cherish, and provide for me. He didn't lay next to me at night (not for lack of trying to get me back into bed with him) and hold me and talk about our future, what our kids would look like, or for that matter – how his day was at work and ask me about my own.  
Not that Terrence did all of those things, mind you, but it was a good start to what kind of man I wanted to be with; what kind of man I felt I needed. Terrence was a far cry from perfect, but he was honest and deserved my consideration and respect. He did not deserve me sneaking behind his back.  
"I need to go, Darien." I mumbled as I stood from the couch and shuffled to the door to put on my shoes while sliding my previously forgotten sweater over my head. He had some nerve.  
"So I'll see you at 2 o'clock tomorrow then?" His intense gaze stirred the butterflies in my stomach and my hand felt for the doorknob of the front door. He was so handsome in his jeans and trademark white t-shirt leaning against the armrest of the couch. I wanted to say the hell with my pride and jump him right then. He must have sensed my weak-will and he slowly rose from the couch like a large jungle cat and padded over to stop inches from my body which was by now pressed firmly against the door's surface in protest to his advance. Heartbeat triple-timing in my chest, I fought to maintain control of my breathing and look unaffected on the outside. I knew he was waiting for a response, and my dry lips cracked open, tongue moving to moisten them as I struggled to say something intelligent.  
"I-… Darien…" I looked at him helplessly as his lips descended upon mine and it was fireworks as they say after that.  
Two hours later found me laying face down in his cologne scented, navy sheets. His immobile form lay next to me, one tanned, muscular arm draped over my back, securing me to him. I would blame this encounter on the wine I consumed earlier at the luncheon-turned-afternoon party. I didn't want to face reality yet, wanted to keep all the thoughts of doubt from swimming into my mind, so I pretended to be asleep. My initial assumption would be that he'd leave me alone, wanting to give me the space I needed to collect myself. But, you know what happens when you assume. It wasn't too long after I pretended to be asleep that warm lips and knowing hands made their trek down my body and I surrendered to the sensations, knowing this was only a taste of what he was capable of, and what would happen if I went away with him.  
Another hour later found me in a state of mild confusion and misery. My body seemed to be protesting against my mind and I was not making progress on my mission to leave Darien's apartment. I wasn't even out of his bed or his embrace. I vaguely wondered if Darien possessed the power to read minds as he ran his hands through my hair and let the strands slide through his fingers with a mesmerized look on his face.  
"You know, you're just delaying the inevitable."  
The comment caught my attention and I fully opened my half-hooded eyes to meet his intent gaze. Here it was, the ultimate showdown.  
For a moment, I imagined the possibility of ignoring the comment all together, pretending the entire notion of running off to Europe had completely slipped my mind. I'll have to say that the idea was immensely appealing. It was, however, a cowardly way to address the situation and I did not need another mental diatribe on the virtues of women to be stuck in my head courtesy of my mother.  
Ah, my mother, she seemed to be the only voice of reason in this situation. Funny, the woman had been married for damn near thirty years and always seemed to have some type of dating advice for me. That is, except when it came to Terrence. Sure, she had warned me not to move in with him, but I had brushed that off as her good old Christian upbringing talking. Sometimes, I wondered if she'd known all along.  
The faint ringing of my cell phone made me realize I had been looking straight through him as he'd stared at me, still no comment on his earlier statement. The ringing grew louder, daring one of us to move, shattering the connection as we both searched out the annoying device.  
My cell was piping away from its position underneath the bed in my discarded jeans pocket. I easily retrieved it and slid the phone open to check the caller ID. Luck was not on my side today. Darien returned to his position beside me on the bed and lazily kissed his way up and down my neck taking more time in some areas than necessary. I continued to stare at the communication device like it was an alien child, too scared to look away but too afraid to give it what it wanted. Terrence's picture was smiling at me and I wondered briefly if he had guess where I was.  
"You should answer that." Darien murmured as he turned his attentions lower. I gasped and pushed him away with a free hand as my other hand answered the call and held it up to my ear.  
"Hello?" I winced, my voice was a little husky from my night session. It had been awhile since I'd been so vocal.  
"Serena, honey, are you okay?" Terrence's worried voice flooded my ear and I immediately tensed.  
"I'm fine. Just..." I floundered for an excuse and looked at Darien before answering, "Had a little too much wine at the get together this afternoon. I'm over at Mina's." Darien grinned, but I rolled onto my side away from his handsome face and incredible body to help me think straight. Instantly, I knew I'd made a mistake. Turning my back had not been a good idea. I felt his warm hands on my back, my neck, sliding lower with each passing second. I fought to keep my breath even.  
"Oh." Terrence's confused voice floated somewhere in my mind and I struggled to stay with reality. "Will you be coming home, it's getting late? I have to leave early tomorrow for that trip I mentioned on the way home. My boss called a few minutes ago to confirm my travel arrangements. I have to be in Madrid tomorrow evening." At my silence Terrence continued, mistaking my pause in conversation as anger. "I know you don't like being alone for such a long period of time, but I'll be back in three weeks. Jeremy says this is the last time I have to leave for so long. I'm just handling some last minute negotiations before we sign all the necessary final contracts. I'll be home before you know it!" I bit my lip to fight back a moan, Darien's hands working their seductive magic and his even more impressive lips following.  
"I'll be okay. I got a call from Sarah on my way to Mina's earlier. She has the flu and asked if I could step in for her tomorrow. She was supposed to go to Nice for one of her large accounts, but I said I'd step in for her. I hope you don't mind, but now it'll be perfect since we'll both be gone." I rushed to finish the sentence and roughly sunk my free hand into Darien's dark locks. He slowly crawled back up the bed and grinned, returning to his original task of leaving me speechless and craving more.  
"Oh," Terrence seemed surprised, but I was already paying such little attention to him that I didn't mind. My eyes were closed, fighting not to give in to the all consuming hunger Darien seemed to evoke in my body. "Well, okay, honey. Please be careful and have a safe trip. I'll call you when I land in Madrid. You shouldn't try to come home tonight, its a little late and I don't think a cab-ride across town is the best idea. Maybe we could meet in London at the end of our trips and spend a few days there together."  
"Mhmm, sounds great. G'night." I hung up the phone and tossed it across the room. It clattered to a halt in corner, hitting the wall and knocking the battery out. Darien's deep chuckle sounded from behind me. I whirled on him, not entirely sure how upset I was or if I was even upset at all.  
"Are you trying to KILL me?" I slipped from his grasp, finding it harder to evade him when my body was yearning to be under him.  
"No harm, no foul. It's not like he noticed." He settled himself on his side, leaning over me and running his hand through my hair. I began to feel a little more lightheaded as the moments passed. "So..." he drawled and leaned further into me, the contact of our bare skin sending tingles down my spine "you're coming with me?" He looked so vulnerable in that moment I could only nod, not wanting to say or do anything that could possibly ruin it. His lips were on mine in a flash, driving all the doubt from my mind as we tangled under the covers. "Mine." he murmured before we were both lost.  
I resurfaced into reality some hours later, the early morning sun shining in through the open gap in the curtains. I attempted to twist away from the sun's bright rays and found it next to impossible and I came into direct contact with another body. As I fought to get my bearings, my eyes flew open and I sighed in relief as I took in the sight of Darien's sleeping form. He was positively, heart-breakingly handsome with his dark features, jet black hair in a messy disarray, dark brows relaxed against a sinfully beautiful face.  
I remembered a morning some months back when I had woken next to him and vowed it to be the last. I had wanted to escape before he realized he did not want me and left me.  
I felt the sudden urge to flee, panic instantly taking over where the security of his warmth did not permeate, my heart.  
Slowly, so as to not wake him, I slid from his loose grasp and searched around on the floor for my clothing. Sure enough, I located my bra and underwear with ease but the rest of my clothes were evading me. Where were my jeans and my sweater, surely I couldn't have been that distracted to have lost them.  
I gave up my search for them when I spotted Darien's open closet a few feet away from my crouched position. I darted for the door, yanking a dark shirt from its hanger. Hastily, I pulled the soft fabric over my head and was satisfied when the material draped down to mid-thigh. After my initial task of being clothed had been completed, I softly padded out the door, casting one quick glance at the slumbering form of Darien. He lay in the same position I had left him, arm extended over the spot my body had occupied.  
I shuffled into the kitchen, quietly locating the essentials for coffee and set to my task of finding the rest of my clothing after a pot was brewing. I located my jeans dangling off the back of an arm chair and my sweater was crumpled on the floor by the door. I collected the articles quickly, making an effort to tidy up his living room in the process. His divested clothing was close to my own and I went about tossing throw pillows back into their respective places and righting the tilted lampshades. A couple of picture frames were scattered on the floor, and I assumed that had happened when we'd bumped into the side table in our frenzy.  
Sex with Darien was always something different in my book of experiences. The passion we created everytime was an entirely new experience for me, and while his intensity sometimes scared me silly, I knew I was a moth to his flame in this scenario. I needed to just fly straight into the blazing inferno and hope I came out alive. Sure he'd burn me, but I'd been burned before and lived to tell the tale.  
Once my task had been completed and there was no evidence of our, um, activities I returned to the kitchen and poured myself a mug of steaming coffee. I cuddled on the couch with my mug and a book that had been resting on the coffee table. So engrossed was I in the plot, I did not hear Darien leave his room. Warm hands slipped through my hair and tipped my head backwards to meet his waiting lips. I suppressed a gasp and carefully put my mug on the coffee table, the book fell to the floor forgotten.  
"You should probably go get packed." he murmured a few minutes later having traded his previous position for a space on the couch.  
"We could leave later." I suggested, temporarily enjoying my position of power. He grinned at my idea before shifting so I was suddenly below him, his large frame edging out any venue of escape, should I feel the need to make a quick getaway.  
"Are you implying you'd rather head back to the bedroom, Miss Christainsen?" His tone was delightfully husky and I squirmed slightly under his piercing gaze. "That is exactly what I'm implying." I muttered before lifting my face to his. I wasn't sure what had brought on this change of mind, but I didn't want to analyze it or the consequences at the moment. Apparently, neither did he. But four hours later, I had been whisked to my apartment and just as quickly whisked to the airport.  
I had a sneaking suspicion he was afraid I would come to my senses if he let me have a moment to collect myself.  
When we were on the plane and the door shut securely behind us he released his hold on my waist and motioned for me to settle into my seat.  
I closed my eyes and leaned back in the plush seat while Darien ordered us drinks from his private stewardess. I heard her smooth retreat and offered Darien a glance. He was staring directly at me, leaning back in his chair to afford himself a better view.  
"What?" I resumed my nonchalant position and slouched a little farther down in my seat, attempting to get comfortable.  
"Nothing." was his quick reply. I could feel the grin in his voice.  
"Out with it already." I was getting impatient. He had kept a hand on me the entire afternoon and now that I was finally free of his hand, his gaze was wrapped around me just as firmly as his hand.  
"It's nothing, really." His relieved expression sewed it shut for me.  
"Then if it really is nothing then why not tell me?" I was on the edge of my seat, ready to lunge at him. It felt like I was the clueless freshman with a post-it on her back that said 'slut' or 'nerd' that I could not see.  
"Calm down, Serena." His gaze drifted over my posture and I pursed my lips in frustration.  
"Just tell me, Darien. I'm on the plane and we're thirty thousand feet in the air."  
He seemed comforted by that fact and visibly relaxed.  
"Well, you are trapped now." he muttered and rubbed his eyes.  
"Darien…" I was practically whining now. I sounded pathetic but there seemed to be no avoiding it.  
"I suppose it doesn't make any difference now or later."  
Straight out of a cheesy romance novel, I waited with baited breath.  
"I'm dying, Serena."  
I felt as if I'd been hit by a truck.  
"WHAT?" I was out of my seat in a flash, throwing myself into his waiting arms.  
And his rich laughter turned my concern and fear into anger.  
"I was only kidding, Serena. Nothing is wrong. Everything is fine. We'll be in Paris in a few hours and from there we'll go to Avignon, Bordeaux, Chartres and anywhere else you want to go."  
I smiled and felt myself relax as his arms wove around me and one of his expert hands delved into my hair that hung loose to my shoulder blades.  
I noticed his clouded expression but decided against bringing up that particular matter. In hopes of shutting out my conscience for more than two minutes and letting myself feel, I sighed deeply and snuggled further into his embrace. Wrapped in the arms of possibly the most perfect man in the world I was spontaneously flying farther than I ever had before, leaving caution and reason in my dust. For a moment, before I closed my eyes and surrendered to the feeling of happiness, I wondered if I had been waiting for him to find me all along. As if in perfect synchronization I lifted my face to his as he dipped down for me.  
I promised myself, in his private plane, secured safely in his arms, that I would make the most of this vacation, even if I had to say goodbye afterwards. I quite possibly needed him like a drug addict needed their fix, and I wanted to have one last hit before I quit him cold turkey and went to rehab. Maybe it was selfish, maybe it was incredibly stupid, but I knew I wanted him, and I needed this time with him.  
The stewardess never came back with our drinks, but I did not notice until the flight was almost over.


End file.
